It’s a time of lights, joy, greetings, gifts, get togethers and being children again. But not for all of us. So, a trip to Grants City Offices.
Former Fire Chief Hayes started a process by contacting the State who could provide $10,000 for a Baby Box. Councilman Garcia brought the idea before the City Council who approved it. Jessica Venable followed through with the paper work. The device has been employed world- wide. We now have one at the Grants Fire department as a result of our Safe Haven laws. It will be formally opened on 1/7/25 but is available now. The parent or guardian of a baby can place the child with the fire department, police or hospital instead of putting it in a dumpster or intimate relationship with another human being for 9 months. So, several studies have been done to understand. The median age of the women is 23, but one-third are younger than 18 and 88% unmarried with 22% raped, 39% victims of incest, often dealing with domestic violence, poverty, shame, social stigma and mental health issues. They lack prenatal care, often hide or deny their first pregnancy and have a high risk of complications. The incidence varies from country to country with Finland less than 1 and Austria with 9 per 10,000 births. The mothers interviewed said they weren’t ready to be mothers and deeply regretted abandoning their child and regretted not seeking help from family or health care providers. Some ways to help them would be 1. A clear plan of what to do if feeling overwhelmed with caring for a baby or child, 2. Awareness of support delivery and 4. Crises phone number 1-866-99BABY1.
One day, Creator God looked at His children on Earth and saw us as lost sheep, not knowing what or who He was. So, He became one of us to teach us in a way we could understand. He experienced a human nature that started with being nestled safely in the warmth of a woman, then the sudden separation followed by being in a cold, dark manger. Tears of distress, with fears of being abandoned, cold, hungry, rejected. Wondering if He’d be loved. But then picked up and cuddled in the arms of humans.
Now when we hear the loud desperate crying of babies and see the overwhelming pain in their face, vague memories are stirred. We still have these feelings [but have learned to express them differently]. He knew what it felt like to be abandoned again at the end, in a garden. Put into a box again, but leaving it to be with us, forever.
Today’s lesson: Emmanuel, the Lord with us. And we are nestled safely in His arms.
Joan Klonowski